Colorado Springs – There are no questions about his magical left arm, or about his competitive fire. But is 21-year-old Franklin Morales ready to make his major-league debut, in the heat of a pennant race, at Dodger Stadium?

“I’m not sure that anybody has that answer,” Colorado Springs Sky Sox manager Tom Runnells said. “This is how you sometimes find out about the great ones – you see how they answer the bell.”

Unless the Rockies make a late roster move today, the hard-throwing lefty, with just 17 Double-A starts and three Triple-A starts under his belt, is scheduled to take the mound Saturday in Los Angeles. If he does, it will be one of the most pressure-filled debuts in club history.

When Jeff Francis made his big-league debut on Aug. 25, 2004, he was on his way to being named the consensus minor-league player of the year. And while there was plenty of hoopla surrounding Francis’ first start (an 8-1 loss to Atlanta), the Rockies were well out of the race by then.

Things are different for Morales. The club desperately needs quality starts if it’s going to remain in the chase for an National League West title or make a run at the wild card. Injuries on the big-league staff have opened a spot.

“I’m mentally prepared,” Morales said. “I haven’t pitched a big-league game yet, but nothing is going to change what I’m going to do on the mound. If they are bringing me up now, they must see something in me.”

The starting rotation is in shambles because of injuries to Rodrigo Lopez, Jason Hirsh and Aaron Cook. Rookie Ubaldo Jimenez did his part Wednesday in San Diego in the Rockies’ 3-0 victory. Now it appears it is Morales’ turn.

Conversations about the Venezuelan inevitably begin with his “electric stuff.” That’s the phrase catcher Chris Iannetta uses to describe Morales’ repertoire that includes a tailing four-seam fastball, a trapdoor two-seamer, a solid curve and a deceptive changeup.

“He throws so hard, it makes everything else better,” said Iannetta, who’s caught two of Morales’ games at Triple-A Colorado Springs.

Morales consistently throws a 97 mph fastball. That kind of raw power is the major reason Morales is one of baseball’s bright prospects. At Class-A Modesto a year ago, he led the California League in strikeouts (179) and ERA (3.68), but was second in walks (89).

The higher a pitcher climbs in baseball, the less pure velocity matters and the more important command and control become. Morales discovered that Monday night in his most recent start for the Sky Sox, a shaky 4 1/3 innings. With Rockies general manager Dan O’Dowd looking on, Morales got touched for three runs in the first inning. In the fifth, he served up a two-run homer and issued three walks.

When Morales regained command of his fastball, he looked like the pitcher who went 2-0 with a 1.42 ERA in his first two Triple-A starts. How Morales handled Rainiers shortstop Nick Green is a prime example. Green scorched a triple down the left-field line in the first, but struck out swinging at curveballs in the second and fourth, and looked bad doing it.

Runnells is certain Morales possesses major-league talent. What he doesn’t know is if he’s ready for the big leagues.

“I don’t think anybody has a crystal ball,” he said. “But I think he’s a wonderful competitor and a wonderful talent.”

More in Sports

Broncos general manager John Elway was reminded of the nice weather, of the fun memories he had some 13 miles west in Palo Alto in college and of course the ones he experienced here in Santa Clara back in 2016.

A tangled mess at Coors Field unraveled early Thursday afternoon as rookie right-hander Jeff Hoffman craned his neck to see home run after home run leave the yard. Before the end, it devolved into a dilemma.